African American Males and Education: A Study of Successes and Failures
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Authors
Seldon, Darrell Ondrey
Issue Date
2009-08
Type
Dissertation
Language
en_US
Keywords
Poverty and Education
Alternative Title
Abstract
This study investigated the educational and social experiences of African
American males reared in poverty. The focus of this study was on a particular low-
income neighborhood in Columbus, Georgia. I was interested in this neighborhood
because I, an African American male, lived there for 7 years. I researched and recorded
the lives of eight African American males, including myself, who were raised in this low-
income neighborhood. The study investigated our life experiences, with emphasis on
those issues related to education and race. With the neighborhood context as the frame,
emphasis was placed on understanding why some of my African American male peers
succeeded in school and life, while others did not. The study involved conducting life
history interviews, and the data collected were used to construct first-person narratives of
each participant. The narratives were analyzed to determine themes within and across the
life histories. The four principle themes were: personal success, fatherly
support/relationship, fair treatment, and better lifestyle. I found that all of the African
American male participants had aspirations and dreams. They yearned for quality
relationships with their fathers. The participants spoke out vehemently against racism,
desiring to be treated fairly. All of the participants wanted something better in life than
what they experienced as children and teenagers in the projects, and they worked towards
the fulfillment of that dream. Resilience was also a common characteristic and was
discussed in detail.
Description
Citation
Publisher
Valdosta State University
License
Copyright protected. Unauthorized reproduction or use beyond the exceptions granted by the Fair Use clause of U.S. Copyright law may violate federal law.